Credit crunch PR – How to make every penny count
With British communicators working on restricted budgets, Sarah was asked for her advice about ‘how to make every penny count’ by Corp Comms Magazine.
Click on http://www.corpcommsmagazine.co.uk/news/412-every-penny-counts to read the article in full.
Legislation changes: Additional sick leave for workers with Swine Flu
As the number of people struck down with swine flu reaches epidemic levels in London and the West Midlands, and predictions of millions being affected come autumn and winter, it has been reported that the Government is considering allowing people with swine flu to stay off work for 14 days before requiring them to obtain a sick note from their GP. Currently, the period is seven days.
Under current rules, employees are only allowed to be absent for seven days, inclusive of weekends and bank holidays, before they are required to get a doctor’s note. In light of the swine flu pandemic, the Government is proposing to allow victims to take two weeks off before any proof of illness is required.
Business leaders are concerned that workers could take advantage of the relaxed rule and see the change as a “freedom pass” to taking time off. However, a spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said: “We don’t want people to feel obliged to leave the home or return to work when they are still unwell or put an unnecessary burden on GPs in a pandemic. Contingency plans therefore include the possibility of extending self-certification to 14 days for a limited period.” (The Times, 11 July 2009)
The Soap Box: CV Pet Hates
You wouldn’t rock up to an important job interview wearing a bin bag so why do the shooting-yourself-in-the-foot-equivalent on your CV? Considering it’s such an industry standard, an essential marketing tool that is the first step in getting your foot in the door of a potential employer, we’re constantly amazed (or should that be aghast) at how many people get it wrong. Whilst we love reading CVs, we have our pet hates. Here are just a few… (more…)
The Rising Star: Andrew Robinson
PR Week’s Powerbook described him as a “heavy hitter, doing serious work for serious clients, and one to watch,” and it’s clear from Andrew Robinson’s profile that this month’s rising star has achieved an immense amount in a relatively short amount of time.
Read on, be inspired…
Name: Andrew Robinson
Position: International Director, Board
Company: Euro RSCG Biss Lancaster
Can you summarise your career path to date? I began my career in Hong Kong with Gavin Anderson & Company; after four years learning the ropes on some great accounts including The Coca-Cola Company, Philip Morris and Morgan Stanley, I returned to the UK to work in Financial PR at Citigate. Starting in the Broadcast Unit, I worked my way into the Corporate team as a Director, leaving seven years later to work at Biss Lancaster.
Describe your role: I manage a team of 12 consultants working on corporate and government campaigns targeting a diverse range of stakeholders. I advise clients including BAe Systems, Standard Chartered Bank, The Government of Portugal and AirAsia.
What’s been your career highlight to date? My work with Tony Fernandes, the CEO of AirAsia is constantly challenging and equally rewarding. Airline PR is not easy even when the economy is good, and the range of issues you have to deal with each day is immense. Advising the Portuguese Minister for Economy has been a real eye-opener into how far Government communications strategy has evolved over the past 3 years to cope with the financial, energy and environmental crises.
And your greatest challenge? As a manager, working with (Chairman) Tony Carlise at Citigate was unforgettable. Perfect was just about good enough.
What advice can you offer to other comms professionals who want to get ahead in the current climate? Whatever you are doing, do it very well!
How do you feel about what you have achieved so far in your career? To be working in an agency I am proud of, doing interesting work for great clients and still learning a great deal from my Chairman, Graham Lancaster – this is where I wanted to be at this stage of my career.
What recent current affairs issue are you most interested in, and why? Watching how the expenses scandal has swept beyond Westminster into the rest of the UK shows how powerful the media can be. It feels like open season on anyone with an expense account, except journalists obviously.
What challenges are you facing in your current position? Staffing always presents a challenge, finding good executives is hard work. Biss Lancaster invests a great deal in training staff, but many firms don’t make the investment, leaving execs to learn on the job. It’s not sustainable for companies to ignore training junior staff.
Do you have an unusual, impressive or inspirational career path? Are you able to offer sage career advice to other communications professionals? If so, we’d love to hear from you! To nominate a colleague or be featured as the next ‘rising star’ yourself, contact us at: sarah@the-works.co.uk or tel. 020 7559 6690. Alternatively, click on our website at: www.the-works.co.uk
Swine Flu Pandemic, or Panic? Beware the coughing colleague
It’s been a week since Swine Flu metaphorically crossed The Works threshold (luckily, our afflicted colleague had the sense to stay home and is now fully recovered).
In the space of that week, however, it’s been interesting to note that the threat to the NHS’s ability to cope with Swine Flu is not because of the illness itself, but the fear of it.
In what’s one of the biggest communications challenges of the day, the Government is working hard to quell the ‘panic pandemic’ in which hordes of ‘unnecessarily anxious’ people threaten to swamp GPs’ surgeries and health departments.
From behind our hankies we’re watching with interest how the story (and the lurgy) develops…
Technology roles up by 50%
Could this be… wait for it? signs of returning market confidence? Less apathy? More ambition! Whatever the reason for the 50% increase in the number of technology PR roles coming online, we’re not knocking it and, we suspect, neither are you. Other reasons to be cheerful:
- Certain corporate and financial consultancies are finally coming back with replacement roles for the first time since last year’s meltdown.
- Increasing movement at junior to mid level.
- Increase in freelance assignments over the last two months.
- Retail, food & drink, technology and media sector in-house roles increasing.
- Fewer candidates registering recently have been out of work due to redundancy. In corporate and financial PR, for example, 41% were out of work due to redundancy in May/June ‘09 compared to 0% in June/July ‘09.
It’s not time to pop those champagne corks yet, however. There are still around half the amount of job opportunities available compared to this time last year, so be warned! Competition is fierce…
The best (and worst) interviews ever…
Multi-lingual interview panels, on the spot writing tests or presentations, interviewers leaving midway through (!) and almost missing international flights: when it comes to bad interview experiences, you’ve had them in spades according to the results of our interview survey.
Other clangers included: the interview room being double booked with rehearsing musicians (the interview went ahead regardless); an interviewer eating a cheese roll between questions; one respondent being interviewed for the wrong job; another kept waiting over an hour whilst another interviewer was so relaxed he wore no shoes throughout! (more…)
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